Scoutmaster Musings

The Summit

The land is purchased, development funding is ready, and the plans are started for The Summit - the official name for the new national BSA site on the New River Gorge in West Virginia. Pretty exciting times for the BSA. Development should start next year and the site be ready in three years.

Looks like there will be a half dozen regional camps, a huge outdoor arena, a mountain bike course, Order of the Arrow camp, and three lakes. It's going to be an amazing place, kind of a khaki Disneyland.

Technically the name is "The Summit: Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve"

Nov 19, 2009 - FredFisher

As gleamed off of the Scouts-L mailing list... "will offer whitewater rafting, rock climbing, mountain biking, and other extreme outdoor sports. Development of the site, in the New River Gorge region of W. Va., was made possible by a $50 million gift - the largest in Scouting history-by the S. D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation ".

Nov 20, 2009 - CJ

This is awesome! Thank you for sharing!

Dec 02, 2009 - William

This is pretty awesome!
BTW, what's the size difference between Ft. AP Hill, and The Summit?

Dec 02, 2009 - Scoutmaster Paul

William - Ft. AP Hill is a US military installation used by the BSA for its national jamboree. The Summit will be a BSA-owned site with permanent, year-round access.

Dec 12, 2009 - stu gardner

FINALLY !!!
tAHNKS

Dec 12, 2009 - STU GARDNER

FIANLLY !!!
THANKS

Dec 29, 2009 - Bryan Strickland

Will there be any summer job opportunities in 2010 or 2011 for scouts? Blazing and clearing trails comes to mind.

Jan 02, 2010 - William

I already knew that Scoutmaster Paul!
The Summit is 10,600 acres
How big is Ft. AP Hill? (2010 will be my 4th trip)

Stopped by the New River Gorge Visitors Center Yesterday. Ranger Jodi was very helpful with information about The Summit. The site is a few miles south of the NRG visitor center.
Previous question about the site vs AP Hill. I found reference to the fact that the actual Jamboree Site at AP Hill was about 3,000 Acres

Aug 12, 2010 - majorjarhead

Good display at the jamboree

Aug 16, 2010 - Ray Theberge

Update from what I was told at the Summit presentation at Jambo:
1) tree clearing is primarily completed already,
2) general excavation contract has been awarded already,
3) utlities bids (power, water, sewage, etc.) were due last Friday,
4) ATT has already committed to spearheading the telecomm and wireless services,
5) The Order of the Arrow has already committed to FOUR weeks of service (called SummitCorps) during July, 2011 to clearing trails, etc.
6) preparations for 2013 Jamboree are priority #1, build out of year-round conference center and high adventure base are #2 & #3 respectively
7) site plan was reworked to make best use of existing fire roads, etc. to shorten development time